Attractions

One of the most luxurious hotels in Uptown Charlotte to welcome guests to the Queen City, The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte is conveniently located near Epicentre, and provides the perfect place to discover Charlotte’s best shopping, sightseeing, sports, dining and night life. Our hotel even offers a Bike Valet for those who prefer to see the city with the wind in their hair and the sun on their face.

Uptown/Downtown Charlotte is divided into four Wards. The First Ward hosts the main library, the Levine Museum of the New South and the Time Warner Cable Arena – home to the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets. In the Second Ward, business travelers will find the government district as well as the Charlotte Convention Center. The Second Ward is also home to EpiCentre, a mixed-used entertainment complex featuring restaurants, cafes, retail and night life entertainment. In the Third Ward, tourists can explore the Knight Theatre, Bank of America Stadium and the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. For a taste of fine Victorian architecture, the Fourth Ward is comprised mostly of classic Southern homes, as well as Old Settlers’ Cemetery.

With a vast array of attractions to visit, let our hotel’s concierge assist you in planning an outing around Charlotte.

Attractions

Discovery Place

One of the top hands-on science and technology facilities in the nation, with permanent exhibits covering such topics as the tropical rain forest and underwater/aquarium world. Highlights include a static electricity demonstration that puts one’s hair on end, while the included Charlotte Nature Museum and IMAX Dome theatre further raise the entertainment and educational level. Special subject areas include human health and development, and wilderness exploration. Discoveryplace.org

EpiCentre

A 267,000-square-foot entertainment center that began its phased with the debut of Whisky Run, a country rock ’n roll bar owned by NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. Located in Center City, the complex, when completed, will feature more than 50 restaurants and shops, including a dueling-piano bar; a five-screen all-digital movie theater/lounge; and an 18-lane bowling alley with martini bar. Epicentre-charlotte.com

Bojangle’s Coliseum

Bojangles’ Coliseum is just minutes from Center City Charlotte and hosts year-round concerts, family shows, figure skating, rodeo and bull riding competitions, and a variety of entertainment events for guests of all ages. The iconic domed building opened in 1955 and, after extensive updates, now seats 11,000. The celebrated facility has been known by many names: Charlotte Coliseum, Independence Arena, Cricket Arena and now Bojangles’ Coliseum. Bojangle’s Coliseum.com

Ovens Auditorium

Located adjacent to Bojangle’s Coliseum, Ovens Auditorium opened next to the dome in 1955. Since then, renowned entertainers have graced its stage, from the Billy Graham Crusade and inspirational speakers to Bruce Springsteen, Broadway shows, and acclaimed stage, music and dance performers. With a seating capacity of approximately 2,460, Ovens has hosted more than 7,000 events, attended by 9.4 million people, including many a local graduate. OvensAuditorium.com

PNC Music Pavilion

A large outdoor concert venue, the PNC Music Pavilion hosts major live acts from rock, alternative, pop, country, and jazz to rhythm and blues. Special events and festivals are also offered at this popular entertainment venue. Livenation.com

Charlotte Motor Speedway

Home to the NASCAR All-Star Challenge, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coca Cola 600 and the NASCAR Banking 500 only from Bank of America, the speedway also hosts automobile racing schools, car shows, drag races, street racing, bus and truck racing, kids’ events, charity activities and fan appreciation nights. With 140,000 seats at its 1.5-mile superspeedway plus camping, entertainment and hospitality suites and condominiums, it is one of motor sports’ most revered competition facilities.

Bank of America Stadium

Home to the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, Bank of America Stadium seats nearly 75,000 spectators and is located right in Uptown. The open-air, natural grass stadium was specifically designed for football and serves as a self-contained headquarters for the Carolina Panthers. It includes training facilities, practice fields and team administrative offices, as well as dining, entertaining and broadcasting venues.

Time Warner Cable Arena

Formerly the Bobcats Arena, Time Warner Cable Arena is home to the National Basketball League's Charlotte Bobcats and the East Coast Hockey League's Charlotte Checkers. Headliner concerts, college sports competition, family entertainment, ice shows, monster jams, circuses and horse shows are all presented at the arena, which is located within walking distance of The Ritz-Carlton and on a light-rail stop as well.

North Carolina Music Factory

A new music and entertainment district in Uptown Village, this innovative development features an amphitheatre for live music performances, clubs, restaurants, recording facilities and other coming entertainment-focused facilities. NC MusicFactory.com

Charlotte Convention Center

The Charlotte Convention Center opened in 1995 as a major regional venue for conventions, trade shows, banquets and theater-style conferences. With 850,000 square-feet of features and 280,000 square-feet of exhibit space, the gracefully-designed facility attracts more than half a million visitors each year. CharlotteConventionCenter.com

The NASCAR Hall of Fame

NASCAR selected the Queen City of Charlotte as home for its long-anticipated Hall of Fame, and this state-of-the-art new facility now honors the world and icons of NASCAR, saluting the many colorful drivers, crew members, team owners and others who have played such a role in stock-car racing. The Hall includes exhibit space, a Great Hall, a Hall of Honor, interactive entertainment, restaurants and retail outlets and is located in the heart of uptown Charlotte, directly across the street from the Charlotte Convention Center. NascarHallOfFame.com

ImaginOn

A collaborative venture of the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County and the Children's Theatre of Charlotte, ImaginOn offers library collections, children’s education programs, children’s theatre presentations and other activities to bring stories to life through extraordinary experiences that challenge, inspire and excite young minds.ImaginOn.org

Carolina Raptor Center

Carolina Raptor Center is dedicated to protecting and conserving birds of prey through research and education programs and through the care and rehabilitation of orphaned and injured raptors. A self-guided tour along the Center’s ¾-mile lakeside nature trail offers a look at 22 different species of raptors. CarolinaRaptorCenter.org

Billy Graham Library

This family-friendly facility combinesmultimedia technology and Billy Graham memorabilia to provide a look into the life of beloved evangelist Billy Graham. A gift shop, café and Graham’s childhood home complete this North Carolina experience, which is free to the public. BillyGraham.org

The Charlotte Trolley

Car #85, a vintage electric streetcar, leaves on the hour and the half hour and operates on the old Southern Railroad main line that connects the Convention Center with neighborhoods on the South End, Dilworth, and Wilmore areas. CharlotteTrolley.org

Historic Charlotte Tour

Another colorful walking tour, this stroll covers Charlotte's current "historic renaissance," passing through neighborhoods with historic textile factories, legendary churches, and merchant shops that have been gentrified and renovated in tasteful Charlotte fashion. HistoricCharlotte.org

Wing Haven Gardens & Bird Sanctuary

Created in 1927 by Elizabeth and Edwin Clarkson, this is a charming three-acre enclosed area in the heart of a Charlotte residential neighborhood. Mrs. Clarkson was known as the city's "bird lady," and 142 winged species have been sighted in the walled garden she created from a bare clay field. The sanctuary is divided into Upper, Lower, Main, Wild, Herb, and Rose gardens, which are especially full of life in the spring, when birds begin returning from their winter migration. A bulletin board advises which birds are visiting at the moment. WingHavenGardens.com

Carowinds Water and Theme Park

A 105-acre water and theme park for the young and young-at-heart, this park features over 100 rides, shows, movie-inspired experiences, a Zoom Zone children's area and Nickelodeon WaterWorks water park. CaroWinds.com

McGill Rose Garden

A living work of art, this stunning urban garden offers free admission and showcases more than 1,000 roses, plants and herbs including 200 varieties of roses, a working herb garden, garden art and sculptures, gift shop and more. The McGill Rose Garden is a rare find in the heart of the city. www.mcgillrosegarden.org

Levine Museum of the New South

Focusing on the New South cultural and historic era, this is the only regional history museum to present the history and culture of the South from the immediate post-Civil War era to the present day. Hands-on history exhibits provide added dimension to this educational walk through contemporary American history. www.museumofthenewsouth.org

Charlotte Museum of History

Set within the revolutionary home of Hezekiah Alexander, this is the oldest existing home in Mecklenburg County and is rich in artifacts and documents related to American and local history and period home design. www.charlottemuseum.org

Levine Museum of the New South

Focusing on the New South cultural and historic era, this is the only regional history museum to present the history and culture of the South from the immediate post-Civil War era to the present day. Hands-on history exhibits provide added dimension to this educational walk through contemporary American history. www.museumofthenewsouth.org

Mint Museum of Art

The Mint Museum of Art was the first branch of the United States Mint and is North Carolina’s first art museum. A collection of valuable American and European paintings make it one of the premier fine arts museums in the Southeast, with added highlights that include the art of Native Americans, Colonial Americans and other cultures that have helped shape today’s American art world. www.mintmuseum.org

Mint Museum of Craft + Design

An inside look at the world of crafts, with special insights into how the evolution of craft artifacts and other artisan pieces reflect the ages in which they were created. Ceramic, glass, fiber, metal and wood are all featured media. www.mintmuseum.org

Brem House Artisans Gallery

1.5 miles from the hotel 211 East Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28215, (704) 375-7800.

Designed by Charles Christian Hook and built in the early 1900s, this Colonial Revival style house features historical and architectural features unique to the era and now houses an art gallery as well.

Historic Dowd House

Built some 150 years ago, this historic home was constructed for Confederate Captain James C. Dowd and later became the headquarters of Camp Greene, a U.S. Army Military Base, in 1917. Tours are available by reservation, with the house usually open the third Sunday of each month. www.historiccampgreene.com

Historic Rosedale Plantation

3.4 miles from the hotel 3427 North Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28206, 704-335-0325.

Nearly 200 years old, Rosedale began as a 911-acre plantation and manor estate designed in the Federalist architectural style. Restored to its original glory and even featuring the French wallpaper that was first utilized when it was built, the house features eight acres of gardens and is a National Register Landmark. www.historicrosedale.org

Bechtler Museum of Modern Art

Dedicated to the exhibition of mid-20th-century European and American modern art, this new museum reflects most of the important art movements and schools from the 20th century with a deep holding of the School of Paris after World War II. Only a handful of the artworks in the collection have been on public view in the United States. Until now, the collection was privately held by the Bechtler family of Switzerland and the U.S. and has since been committed to the city of Charlotte. Website

Spirit Square & The Light Factory

Spirit Square Center for the Arts & Education is a multi-discipline venue offering education, events, art exhibits and concerts, including performances by the Charlotte Symphony and Opera and its Repertory Theater. Spirit Square is also home to the Light Factory Contemporary Museum of Photography and Film, one of only four museums for photography and film in the United States. The Light Factory features large-scale exhibitions of photography and digital video art, year-round screenings and major film events, and more than 90 classes in photography and filmmaking. www.lightfactory.org

Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture

The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African- American Arts + Culture (formerly the Afro- American Cultural Center) celebrates the contributions of Africans and African- Americans to American culture for 35 years and serves as a community epicenter for music, dance, theater, visual art, film, arts education programs, literature and community outreach. A renowned cultural destination, the center is dedicated to preserving the artistic heritage of African-American culture. Highlights include exhibitions, a visual arts gallery, hands-on workshops, and live performances in its own theatre and amphitheatre. www.ganttcenter.org

Knight Theatre

Charlotte’s newest major performance venue, the Knight Theatre is part of a large cultural campus that includes the new Mint Museum, Bechtler Art Museum and Harvey B. Gantt Center. Music, plays, and a variety of other presentations highlight the many events offered at this contemporary new theatre. www.blumenthalcenter.org

Recreation

U.S. National Whitewater Center

Just 15 minutes from Charlotte’s Center City, this remarkable recreation complex is home to the world’s largest man-made river for whitewater rafting and kayaking and also hosts Olympic-level competitions that are open to the public. The center offers 12 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, one of the largest outdoor climbing facilities in the United States, teambuilding and ropes courses and access to the Catawba River. USNWC.org

Charlotte’s 10K VolksWalk Trail

Perfect for casual and more serious walkers, this map-guided, non-competitive year-round walk is sanctioned by the American Volkssport Association. Walkers can follow the trail through Uptown and into nearby historic neighborhoods. Maps are available at the start and finish points.

Area Golf Courses

Charlotte offers tremendous choice and quality for golfers, including two of Golf Digest Magazine’s top courses, the Charlotte Country Club and Quail Hollow, home to one of the PGA Tour’s most important annual events. The greater Charlotte area features 21 Private courses, 23 Public courses and 13 semi-Private courses.

Shopping

Founders Hall

Founders Hall is connected to the Bank of America Corporate Center and is the tallest building in Charlotte as well as the home to the nation's largest bank. The hall’s features, which include direct access to The Ritz-Carlton, also offer a magnificent vaulted atrium, many shops and restaurants and live entertainment. FoundersHall.com

NFL Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium

Home to the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, Bank of America Stadium seats nearly 75,000 spectators and is located right in Uptown. The open-air, natural grass stadium was specifically designed for football and serves as a self-contained headquarters for the Carolina Panthers. It includes training facilities, practice fields and team administrative offices, as well as dining, entertaining and broadcasting venues.

NBA Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena

Formerly the Bobcats Arena, Time Warner Cable Arena is home to the National Basketball League's Charlotte Hornets and the East Coast Hockey League's Charlotte Checkers. Headliner concerts, college sports competition, family entertainment, ice shows, monster jams, circuses and horse shows are all presented at the arena, which is located within walking distance of The Ritz-Carlton and on a light-rail stop as well.

Charlotte Checkers at Time Warner Cable Arena

Formerly the Bobcats Arena, Time Warner Cable Arena is home to the National Basketball League's Charlotte Bobcats and the East Coast Hockey League's Charlotte Checkers. Headliner concerts, college sports competition, family entertainment, ice shows, monster jams, circuses and horse shows are all presented at the arena, which is located within walking distance of The Ritz-Carlton and on a light-rail stop as well.